Broadcasting (July - Sep 1949)

AUGUST 22, 1949 COLOR VIDEO INTENSIVE negotiations were quietly under way last week looking toward formation of a new company to foster development of color TV in which CBS would be a participant through its ownership of the sequential color system developed by its engineering research director, Dr. Peter Goldmark. While CBS had a stock "no comment" retort to all inquiries, there was no denial that something is afoot. Conversations are understood to be in progress with organizations interested in furtherance of color TV. Presumably the effort is to complete the organization before the start of the FCC's fulldress TV allocation hearings on Sept. 26. Predicted Stockholders There was no inkling as to participants aside from the evident position of CBS. It was deduced however, that the stockholders might include the three companies which have collaborated with CBS in the color transmissions at the Atlantic City convention of the American Medical Assn. last June and in the demonstrations in Washington and Baltimore last week (see story, this page). These companies are Smith, Kline & French Inc., pharmaceutical manufacturer, which sponsored the medical demonstrations ; Zenith Radio Corp., and Webster-Chicago Corp., which manufactured the color TV equipment to CBS specifications and sold it to SK&F. SK&F, however, advised Broadcasting officially last Friday that it was in no way interested in the manufacture or development of color-TV for public use and that its collaboration with CBS was wholly in the interest of advancement of medical science. Because of the enthusiastic response to the Atlantic City demonstrations, it was thought that a ready market exists for the color equipment for teaching of surgery and medicine, wholly aside from its potential as a mass public medium. If the organization plans are carried to fruition, it was thought likely that there would be several to a dozen participants, with no control held by a single entity. The company would seek to develop all phases of color from transmitter to receiver and including subsidiary fields, such as color film for both TV and motion picture projection. Firm To Develop CBS System Is Planned CBS, it appeared, would be a stockholder along with other participants and also would be in a position to contribute its patent structure and its know-how. It is assumed the company would license its patents to other manufacturers consistent with lecognized practices. Ever since the Atlantic City demonstrations CBS has maintained strict silence in connection with its color position. It is disposed to rest on its color TV fight of two years ago, when it lost out to black-and-white. It is known that in recent months a number of companies have talked with CBS officials about its entry into the set manufacturing field, but nothing has jelled. CBS consistently has indicated a willingness to make its color patent system available to others. Some months ago CBS had conversations with both Bendix and Magnavox looking toward its entry of the home radio equipment field. There also had been preliminary conversations with Westinghouse, and it is understood that the latter company now is conducting an investigation of the entire color patent structure. The color TV field also is being investigated by the so-called Condon Committee, headed by Dr. Edward U. Condon, director of the National Bureau of Standards, at the behest of the Senate Interstate & Foreign Commerce Committee. Dr. GOLDMARK This study was instigated after allegations had been made by committee members that color TV had been suppressed. At the FCC allocation hearings next month, RCA will present testimony on its developments in color TV, as will CBS and possibly others. RCA has been conducting experiments at its Princeton laboratories, and in the field at Washington and Brigeport. The FCC proposals make provision for 6 me color channels and exhaustive testimony is being sought. RCA-NBC has remained silent on results of its color experimentations, but reports were current last week that an entirely new and hitherto unrevealed 6 mc system of all-slectronic transmission has been developed and will be described at the FCC hearings. Color TV developments of George Sleeper of San Francisco, formerly an assistant to CBS Inventor Goldmark, also may be presented at the FCC hearings. Said to use a "line sequential" standard, the system shortly will be field-tested, the FCC has been told, and the results may be presented before the hearings are closed. The CBS surgical demonstrations, which will be continued by SK&F at other medical conventions, used a 6 mc channel. It has explained that the system is the sequential type which operates on the same principle as black-andwhite. Literature distributed at the AMA convention stated that there are two types of receivers in, the CBS sequential system — a projection all-electronic type using a single tube on which three color images are producted, and a direct view type utilizing a color disc which rotates in synchronism with the color disc at the camera. Th0 receivers used at the demonstrations were of the rotating color disc type. INTERCITY COLOR CBS system Tested CBS color television was successfully telecast last week from Baltimore to Washington where it was picked up on modified TV receivers. In addition, the color service was picked up off-the-air in Washington and rebroadcast. This 35-mile airline transmission was staged by Smith, Kline & French Labs., Philadelphia. WMAR-TV Baltimore originated the programs, with receiving sets located in the National Guard Armory, Washington, as well as in the Mathieson Bldg., Baltimore. WMAL-TV Washington, operating on Channel 7, received WMARTV's Channel 2 signals and rebroadcast them. Tests were con ducted Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The pharmaceutical firm owns the equipment and will use it in a series of nationwide medical convention color TV programs. Earlier in the summer Smith, Kline & French demonstrated the color equipment over closed circuits in Philadelphia and Atlantic City [Broadcasting, June 6]. Official Washington was represented at the armory showings, including FCC members, the two interstate commerce committees of Congress, Bureau of Standards officials, and others. Technical observers from Radio Mfrs. Assn. and Institute of Radio Engineers saw the color demonstrations in Baltimore. The CBS showing of sequential scanning-wheel color was said to be similar to that planned in connection with the FCC's television allocation hearings starting Sept. 26. Latest version of CBS sequential color is much improved over past showings, it was stated on behalf of the network. Engineer observers agreed much progress had been made. Pictures were shown in Washington on two TV receivers. First picture was received on a specially built Zenith model, with a 22-inch scanning wheel inside the cabinet. The attractive Zenith cabinet con(Continued on page U9) Page 40 August 22, 1949 BJRO ADG ASTING Telecasting